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Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story
"Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story" is Episode 1 in Season 7. It originally aired on July 3, 1989. Synopsis The episode begins with LeVar getting up early in the morning to join a whale watching crew. They are going to search for one's of nature's exciting creatures: the humpback whale. They sail off the coast of Massachusetts where humpbacks are usually seen along the north Atlantic coast. That's where they migrate during the summer. They have an incredible sense of direction. But even one can get lost once in a while, like in the title book. We might go whale watching just for fun, but scientists study them living in their own environments. Cyndi Belt, a naturalist, shows LeVar some humpbacks. He is amazed at just how big and long they actually are. They don't have teeth in their mouths. They have baleen instead. They have two blowholes with which to breathe through. Their tail is called a fluke. They can be identified from each other by the patterns on their flukes. Breaching is what happens when one jumps clean out of the water. It's a way to show others that they're having fun and being playful. By watching whales and studying them, we can help them to survive. There are times when humans make take action to save them, like in the title book. Back in December 1988 on Cape Cod, whale experts found many pilot whales beaching on the shore. They feel much more heavier on land than when they're in the water. On land, they can be at least a ton, and they can even die if not rescued in time. They are meant to stay in the water all their lives. They feel light and weightless there. All night long and into the next morning, the team of experts helped to save their lives. Some of them didn't even make it, and they soon died. That's a heart-breaking finish to say the least. When three pilot calves lost their mother and found themselves injured, the experts helped them get to the New England Aquarium where they were given care. The staff helped feed them until they were strong enough to go on their way back to the ocean. The most difficult part of the rescue was finding an adult to help them do so. As soon as the crew spotted a herd of pilot ones, they started to set them free. That's when trouble began. But with lots of patience, the three united with them. LeVar says that humpback whales can even sing. While males mate, they create songs which can last for hours. One of nature's mysteries is why and how they do so. We listen to some doing so. A song with words and music all about the beauty of them is heard. LeVar states that there were hundreds of millions of whales in the world many years ago. But today, they're almost gone because of hunting and pollution. The former has been outlawed in most parts, but people are still trying not to do the latter. Throwing trash like plastic bottles in the ocean is deadly to the sea life. LeVar reminds the viewers to always clean up after ourselves so that years from now many generations in the future will be able to enjoy the spectacular view of the whales and hear their songs. More are viewed and a reprise of the song is played during the closing credits. Review Books *Whalewatch! *The Life Cycle of the Whale *All About Whales Category:Season 7 Category:Episodes